College: WPI men’s soccer coach’s heart is in job

Wednesday

Sep 26, 2012 at 6:00 AM

Jennifer Toland Colleges

WPI men’s soccer coach Malcolm MacPherson was sitting in his hospital room at UMass Medical Center the day before his bypass surgery in early August with his laptop open, reviewing schedules, going over the roster, and preparing for the upcoming season.

MacPherson knew he would miss the beginning of his 21st season at WPI while he recovered, but he also knew he would have nothing to worry about when he turned the team over to his more-than-capable assistants, Evan Holmes and Brian Kelley.

“I’m very fortunate to have those two guys to work with,” MacPherson said, “and I always say we work as a team. I bounce things off them, and I value their opinion, and we talk about a lot of different things. They’ve just done a great job.”

The regionally ranked Engineers started the season with four straight wins and are 6-2 heading into tonight’s home game against Salve Regina.

Holmes has been with MacPherson for 24 years — all 21 at WPI and three at Fitchburg State — and this is Kelley’s fourth season with MacPherson and the Engineers. Holmes is one of the longest-tenured assistants in any sport in the NEWMAC, and was the 2002 AFLAC National Assistant Coach of the Year.

Both have past head coaching experience, Holmes at Holy Cross and Kelley at Defiance College in Ohio.

“They stepped in and everything ran business as usual,” senior forward and co-captain Jason Hopkins of Mendon said.

MacPherson, who missed the entire preseason, is easing his way back and recently returned to the WPI bench. He feels great, looks great, is his usual upbeat self, and is obviously very happy to be back.

“I think practices and games have always been his favorite time of the day,” Kelley said, “and particularly this year. His energy and enthusiasm are at the top, like always.”

MacPherson said he wasn’t feeling great late this summer and doctors discovered a blockage in one of the main arteries of his heart. He had the surgery soon after.

Within about two weeks, he began to resume some activities, like going for short walks near his Jefferson home. Doctors were pleased with his progress and his visiting nurse told him he could start doing more, so one afternoon he asked his wife, Sandi, if she’d drive him to practice.

He came over to Alumni Field and watched from a golf cart and, of course, received a warm welcome from his players and staff.

“He’s responsible for bringing all of us — myself, Brian and all the kids — into the program,” Holmes said. “He feels such a devotion to everybody, and he just wants to be there.”

MacPherson has been at WPI’s last four games. The first one he watched from the press box and came down at halftime to talk with Holmes and Kelley. MacPherson has been on the sideline for the last three.

“I’m more involved,” he said a couple of hours before heading out to yesterday’s practice, “still easing myself back in and learning how to be calm.”

MacPherson is 182-138-18 at WPI and is 10 wins from 300 for his career. He said the support he received from WPI director of athletics Dana Harmon and the entire department during his surgery, recovery and return has been tremendous.

“I couldn’t ask for any better people to work for,” MacPherson said.

The Engineers started the season by capturing the Worcester City Tournament for the third time in four years.

In one of MacPherson’s first games back, the Engineers registered a 1-0 win over Wheaton — WPI’s first win over the Lyons since 2006 — and followed with a 2-1 victory over Fitchburg State. Hopkins ranks second on the team with 23 points.

“The kids have responded very well,” MacPherson said. “They’ve worked very hard. They’ve responded to what Evan and Brian have done coaching, and they’ve been terrific.”

The Holy Cross men’s lacrosse team (John’s Brothers) and a group of WPI basketball alumni will be riding to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass./MetroWest in Saturday’s Rodman Ride for Kids, which begins in Foxboro.

To sponsor either team, visit ride.kintera.org.

Also, the HC men’s and women’s lacrosse teams will participate in the fifth annual Catamount Classic Lacrosse Tournament Oct. 6-7 at Thayer Academy in Braintree. All event proceeds benefit genitourinary and women’s cancers care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.